Des Plaines condo fire and explosion was arson, officials say; suspect died of injuries from incident

An explosion and fire at a Des Plaines condo building that injured 15 people in May was caused by arson, investigators said Thursday.

Just before 1 a.m. on May 6, firefighters were called to an explosion and fire at a three-story apartment building in the 1200 block of Hardin Avenue. Heavy flames and smoke impeded rescue efforts as emergency responders worked to rescue people from their balconies.

Officials said 15 people were injured in the incident, with eight taken to hospitals and three of those in critical condition at the time, all adults. Seven people were tended to at the scene and declined further medical attention.

Des Plaines Fire Chief Matt Matzel said Thursday an investigation conducted by the police and fire departments found that an accelerant had been used to start the fire, specifically gasoline. The gas was poured in the hallways, common areas and stairwells of the building before ignition, causing the stairwells to collapse before firefighters arrived, trapping residents inside.

Matzel said the fire started on the third floor, and what was used to ignite the flames remains under investigation.

Matzel said 36-year-old Taner Bayramli was identified as a person of interest based on forensic and video evidence. He said Bayramli's personal items tested positive for gasoline, and video showed him buying a container and filling it with gas at a nearby gas station in the days before the fire.

Matzel said their investigation also found Bayramli – a third floor resident of the condo building – had moved his personal items and keepsakes, including his passport, from his apartment into his vehicle before the fire.

Bayramli was one of the three people critically injured in the explosion and fire, and died on May 21 from those injuries while in intensive care, Matzel said. Investigators believe he acted alone and had he survived, he would have been charged.

The other two people who had been hospitalized in intensive care with critical injuries from the fire have since been discharged and are expected to make a full recovery, Matzel said. No minors were seriously injured in the fire, he said.

Des Plaines Police Chief David Anderson said they still have not been able to determine a motive for the arson, saying they have information but still no context. He said they are still waiting for digital evidence from Bayramli's electronic devices and subscriptions that are being obtained through additional search warrants that have been executed, and because of the extend of his injuries they were not able to interview Bayramli before he died.

Anderson said witnesses did tell police that Bayramli had been acting erratically or strangely in the days before the fire, but did not have further context for those reports either.

Matzel said the building did not have any code violations that contributed to the fire, and investigators do not believe Nicor gas or building management had any responsibility in the fire. The building remains uninhabitable and its former residents have been assisted by the American Red Cross in their relocation.

A law firm filed suit against Nicor on behalf of Bayramli before he died, blaming the gas company for the explosion. Since then, another lawyer has taken over the case. He had no idea of the allegations against Bayramli until CBS News Chicago contacted him this afternoon, and said the family still believes Bayramli is innocent of any wrongdoing.

Matzel said the investigation into the fire remains ongoing and a full report will be released, along with possible video, when it is finished.